It Gives Him Something To Do

at

Enda Kenny will present a programme on Irish railways

This morning.

Via Independent.ie:

Later this year the former Taoiseach and Fine Gael leader will front a television series on RTÉ 1 about old Irish railways from times past. Mr Kenny, a fluent Irish speaker, will present the series in Irish.

Mr Kenny is understood to be enjoying revisiting the old railways in Mayo and adjoining counties, as well as throughout the country.

Always a keen student of history, he is developing a new-found interest in railway history.

Meanwhile…

….The evisceration of Irish railways mainly occurred in the decades Enda’s father, Henry Kenny, served as a TD and eventually a junior government minister.

Luckily some railways survived in his native Co Mayo, unlike other counties.

Good times.

Full steam ahead as Enda Kenny to present RTÉ show (Independent.ie)

Previously: A New Age Of The Train

Rollingnews

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36 thoughts on “It Gives Him Something To Do

  1. Andy Pipkin

    Money well spent again by RTÉ, poor lad needs the few bob!
    Pay rise for the ‘ Genius ‘ who commissioned this!

  2. george

    Such a transparent copy of the BBC – a tv show about old trains presented by a former politician. Its not like the fact that Michael Portillo was a politician even had anything to do with the success of that programme so why copy it so literally? Get your own idea.

  3. Gabby

    If we want to preserve our existing depleted railway lines, we’ve got to travel more often by train. Use them or lose them.

    1. Mr .T

      That railway lines are skewed across the country to faciliate more stops/lines makes them uncompetitive.

      Its faster to drive in many instances as the trains take so long with stops and a zig-zag line across the country.

      1. Gabby

        A car-clogged society pays more in the long term by means of atmospheric pollution, noise, built-in auto obsolescence, bronchial disorders, punitive parking fees, garage maintenance costs and oppressive insurance premiums. Think Traen.

        1. Rob_G

          While I am fully in favour of divesting ourselves from our dependence on the private motor vehicle, passengers on the Limierick-Ballybrophy line are subsidised to the tune of €550 per passenger, per journey.

          I am not sure what is environmental about using almost-empty huge diesel trains to transport a handful of people.

        2. Daisy Chainsaw

          I had to go to Dublin last week. Driving, I got to Lucan from Wexford in under 2 hours. The train and subsequent bus would literally have taken twice as long. The Rosslare/Connolly train is fine if you only have to go to the city centre, not if you have to go to the suburbs.

  4. Cian

    Not sure his Dad can be blamed for the railway closures in Mayo as:

    1: He was in opposition for the bulk of his career
    2: By the time he became a Junior Minister (well, the 1970s version thereof), the closures had happened

    Achill closed in 1937, Ballinrobe branch in 1959 and the WRC section lost passengers in 1963.

    1. Boj

      I don’t see anyone blaming anyone in this article Cian…
      FG defence algorithm aborted…stand down…I repeat…stand down :-)

      1. Cian

        Read it again. Rather specific and completely inaccurate jibe at Henry Kenny.

        Never voted FG, as it happens.

        There’s the “other” Cian who turned up some years later and posts more often that you may be confusing me with.

    2. Rob_G

      That stuck out to me as well – though in fairness it is a direct quote from the article, so while it is cheap shot, it is one from the independent, rather than from BS

  5. GiggidyGoo

    That 2020 map isn’t correct either. There’s no direct rail service from Rosslare to Waterford. Eventually closed a long while after the FF’ers closed the Mallow Factory (which didn’t need to be closed as it transpired https://www.irishexaminer.com/news/arid-20136141.html ). No need as sugar beet didn’t need to be transported anymore. Thanks Greenbacks

    Sure haven’t we a heap of Greenways now? – Inda can do a spot on them, while riding his bike on them.

  6. Colin

    Maybe with decent dining facilities ana death trap as it’s a sealed container with circulated air for all that have covid to spread it to all who have not

  7. Clampers Outside

    Portillo did do Ireland in his series, but maybe not Mayo…

    “Goes to Ireland – Charleville to Waterford

    Great British Railway Journeys Series 4

    Episode 22 of 25

    Michael Portillo takes to the tracks once again using his Bradshaw’s ‘Handbook for Tourists in Great Britain and Ireland’ from the Victorian era. Portillo is on a railway journey through the Republic of Ireland travelling from the rugged beauty of County Kerry, across the rural Irish Midlands to end in the city of Galway on the Atlantic coast.

    In this episode, Michael learns the ancient art of making butter, attempts to learn the basics of Ireland’s oldest game and rides the Duke of Devonshire’s Victorian Irish railway.”

    https://www.bbc.co.uk/programmes/b01qmc8x

  8. JoeC

    Lads, hate to be a toal nerd, but your 2020 map is incorrect.
    There’s no line from Mullingar to Athlone any more, likewise for the navan branch from the main Dublin – Belfast line, and the waterford to New Ross line.

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